


A Little Light for the Night

by Beleriandings



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-17 13:49:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1390042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beleriandings/pseuds/Beleriandings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Andreth comforts her young great-nephew Beren when he wakes from nightmares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Light for the Night

“Dear heart,” said Andreth, sitting down on the edge of the bed and cradling the sobbing child in his blankets, “what is it? Did you have a bad dream?”  
Sniffing, Beren nodded into the front of Andreth’s dress. “They all left” he said in a small voice. “All the people I knew, they were all going away, and it was dark, it kept getting darker…” the sobs were coming in deep gasps now, and he drew closer to Andreth, wrapping his small arms around her, “they were disappearing, one by one. I lost them in the dark.”  
"Hush, child." She stroked his hair. "It was only a dream. I’m here. I’m here."  
He looked up at her, his eyes wide and frightened in the darkness. “You won’t go away too, will you? Promise me you’ll stay? Forever and ever?”  
Andreth felt a stab of pain as the words rang in her head. Forever and ever. She sighed. “Ah, little one, you ask for too much.” As the young always do. But she did not believe in lying even to a child as young as Beren. “I cannot promise I will be here forever and ever; I will not be.” Seeing his eyes grow even wider, she smiled suddenly. “But at least there is no need to be afraid of the dark. Look.”  
She got up and lit a candle, placing it on the table by the bed. Its faint orb of golden light did not reach the farthest corners of the room, but it drove the shadows back a little. “There” she said. “Forever and ever is too much to ask, I’m afraid. But I’m here now. And perhaps this is enough light to be going on with?”


End file.
